USF Bulls cruise past Charlotte 49ers in AAC Tournament semifinal

Top-seeded USF dominates the boards and forces turnovers to advance to conference championship game

Mar. 14, 2026 at 4:18pm

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The top-seeded USF Bulls easily defeated the Charlotte 49ers 83-60 in the semifinal round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. USF's balanced scoring attack and dominance on the glass proved too much for the upstart 49ers, who struggled to keep up with the Bulls' up-tempo style of play.

Why it matters

This victory keeps USF's hopes of an NCAA Tournament bid alive, as the Bulls look to claim the AAC's automatic bid by winning the conference championship. For Charlotte, the 49ers' Cinderella run in the tournament comes to an end, but the team can still be proud of its accomplishments this season.

The details

USF was led by a trio of double-digit scorers, including Wes Enis with 16.5 points, Izaiyah Nelson with 15.8 points and 9.8 rebounds, and Joseph Pinion with 14.2 points. The Bulls' depth and athleticism overwhelmed Charlotte, which was paced by Ben Bradford's 13.5 points. USF controlled the boards 42.6 to 34.4 and forced 15 Charlotte turnovers, leading to 11 steals.

  • The teams last met on March 8, with USF winning 83-60 at home.
  • This semifinal matchup took place on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The players

Wes Enis

The leading scorer for the USF Bulls, averaging 16.5 points per game.

Izaiyah Nelson

A dominant frontcourt player for USF, averaging a double-double with 15.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

Ben Bradford

The top scorer for the Charlotte 49ers, averaging 13.5 points per game.

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What they’re saying

“We knew coming in that USF was going to be a tough matchup, but our guys fought hard and never gave up. In the end, their size and athleticism were just too much for us to overcome.”

— Ron Sanchez, Head Coach, Charlotte 49ers

“This was a great team effort from start to finish. We executed our game plan to perfection and really set the tone with our defense and rebounding. Now we're one step closer to our ultimate goal of winning the conference championship.”

— Brian Gregory, Head Coach, USF Bulls

What’s next

USF will advance to the American Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, where they will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup.

The takeaway

USF's dominant performance in the AAC Tournament semifinal showcases the team's potential to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, provided they can capture the conference's automatic bid. For Charlotte, this season's tournament success represents a promising step forward for the program, even if their Cinderella run ultimately fell short.